And with strange aeons
by SeeYaSpaceCowboy
Summary: After saving the world again, Percy thought he would have some peace at last. He realizes he should've known better when a mysterious organization takes a sudden interest in a Huntress and now Percy must be her, and the Hunt's, bodyguard. At least with some luck he might even just die! (Ships to be decided)
1. Prelude to the Storm - Clear Sky

**A. N. : This is my take on a Pertemis story, although as the summary said, the ships are to be defined yet, so it might end up not being one. Please do comment on the pairings you would like to see. It has no Chaos, assassins, Percy with absurd powers or Annabeth being an awful human being and/or dead. It does have an awful lot of OCs and it might have some OOC Artemis and/or Thalia, so I would like to apologize in advance for that.**

 **Disclaimer: Percy Jackson belongs to Rick Riordan. And I'm deeply sorry for the situation these characters will be put in in this fanfic. On that note, this fanfic's later chapters might end up not being Safe for Work, Sanity and/or Life due to sexual situations and/or graphical violence, so read at your own peril. This is a work of fiction and any similarities to real events is pure and simple coincidence. Hopefully.**

* * *

The huntresses of Artemis were camping in a north-american forest. Their sturdy tents were set in a clearing nearby a clean spring. It was the beginning of winter and the sky was cloudy. Soon it would start to snow. A few huntresses were posted at the perimeter of the camp, keeping watch while others moved around, talking, playing and conducting their shores. The smell of venison came from one of the larger tents as they prepared dinner. The goddess herself was at the camp, inside the bigger tent. She looked like a young adult in her earlier twenties wearing hiking boots, cargo pants and a tracksuit jacket, all her clothing as silver as her almond eyes. Her long brown hair flowed freely behind her back.

In front of her there was a small iron table with a map of the region on it. Across from her stood a man. He was bald and had a burly build, wearing a Kevlar vest over his white dress shirt and brown pants. He was sneering at her, his arms crossed in front of his chest.

— I'm not letting you go near any of my huntresses, Inquisitor. — She said, her tone definitive, glaring at him.

— This is the Church's business now, goddess. — He replied, scorn showing on the last word. She squinted at him.

— She called to us and made the oath. She is my business now, Inquisitor. — She said, letting her disdain for him show on the last word. He groaned and opened his mouth to retort.

— Now, now, Hammer. I'm sure we can reach an agreement. — Said a soft, melodious male voice coming from the side of the tent. The owner of the voice was a smiling man. He was fair skinned, his skin impeccable due to several hours of care each day. The most notable aspect about him, however, wasn't his beautiful skin, his soft voice or the elegant way in which he moved, but his hair, colored a bright sky blue, the same color of his eyes. He wore a dark blue dress shirt with a golden blooming rose embroidered over the right side of his chest and the left side of his torso and black pants with golden embroidered vines, leaves and small flowers on the hem. He gently touched the shoulder of the bald man, who looked at him almost disgusted and shrugged his touch off.

— Lady Artemis. — He said, turning to her as he walked closer to the table. — I don't believe we have met. I'm Hydran of Thorns. — He smiled to her, taking a deep, exaggerated bow.

— No, you aren't. — She said, glaring at him.

— Excuse me? — He asked, raising his head slightly, a playful smile on his lips.

— No one has a name like that. — She said, shifting her weight from one foot to another, uneasy with the situation. The blue haired man laughed, his laughter as melodious as his voice.

— Fair enough. It is true that it isn't my birth name, but it is the one I chose for myself, so I believe it to be my true name. Am I wrong, my lady? — He asked, still bowing. She groaned, looking away from his innocent smile.

— No, you aren't. — She answered with a heavy sigh. He grinned and finally straightened himself from the bow.

— So, with the introduction out of the way, let's discuss business, shall we? — The goddess frowned at these words, glaring at him.

— People and especially my huntresses aren't business to be discussed, mortal. — She said, her tone harsh. Hydran raised his hands in surrender, his grin turning into a sheepish smile.

— Sorry, miss Artemis, it was just a figure of speech. I meant no offence to your or your huntresses. — Her glare didn't get any friendlier, but she relaxed almost imperceptibly at his words. — We just need to talk to your new protégé, is all. — He continued after a few seconds of silence.

— I already told you, I'm not giving her or anyone to the Church. — She said, her glare turning to the bald man. — I remember Salem. — She added, in an accusatory tone so intensive that the man took one step back involuntarily.

— I believe we all remember, and regret, that dreadful business in Salem, my lady. — Hydran said after clearing his throat to get her attention. — Even those of us who weren't there. — He added. The goddess felt a small pang of shame hit her at his words. It was true that she had been weary and angry at the Church since she had heard of what happened at Salem, but that man probably had no fault in it. Probably. She sighed.

— I'm still not letting you take one of my huntresses. — Her tone got a smidge softer. It was still harsh and accusatory, but without edge. — Or anyone, for that matter. — She added as an after thought. Hydran gasped, his eyes widening. He covered his chest with his hands in an exaggerated gesture of surprise and indignation.

— Take her? Heavens, no! No, no, no! — He said, shaking his head vehemently. — We just want to talk to her, is all! — He explained, smiling sheepishly to her. She didn't seem fazed at all by his display of indignation. The goddess closed her eyes, thinking for a few seconds.

— So you just want to talk to her? — She asked the blue haired man, opening her piercing silver eyes, looking directly into his eyes. He nodded. The goddess sighed. — Very well. I will let you talk to her, but under my supervision. And he doesn't get any closer than ten feet from her or any of my huntresses. If either of you try something stupid, I'm killing both of you myself. — She said, her tone definitive. The blue haired man grinned.

— Sounds like a plan!

— Then follow me. — Artemis said, turning around and walking out of the tent. Hydran turned to face the Inquisitor.

— Told you I'd find an agreement, Hammerhead! — The bald man groaned.

— And I told you to not call me that, warlock. — He replied, walking past the blue haired man.

* * *

There was a commotion in the camp as the goddess exited the tent followed by the two men, the huntresses coming from all sides to surround them, weapons drawn. The teenagers were uneasy, but one gesture from Artemis made them lower their weapons. They walked until they reached the line of trees farther away from the camp, where a huntress stood alone.

She looked to be in her mid teens and was dressed in the usual silver outfit of the huntresses. The hood of her track suit covered her hair, but a few locks of her short red hair were still visible, covering her eyes. The light of the sun shined on her necklace, a silver pendant with a strange yellow image that looked like an inverted, curly "Y". She gently wiped the hair away from her green eyes, not noticing their approach. She was sitting by a small fire, warming her hands. The goddess cleared her throat from behind and the huntress jumped to her feet, turning around and saluting, her bow fell to the ground in the midst of the movement and she winced, closing her eyes.

— You don't need to salute each time you see me, Heather. — The goddess said, a gentle smile on her lips as she approached the nervous girl, kneeling besides her.

— Sorry, ma'am! I'm… not used to this… — The girl said, slowly opening her eyes. The proximity to the goddess making her even more nervous. She looked from Artemis to the two strangers who stood farther away. The bald man scowled at her, his face as harsh as the snowstorm that approached fast. The blue haired man smiled and waved at her. She looked back at the goddess, a mute question in her eyes. The goddess smiled reassuringly to her and the girl, who was starting to get cold despite the small fire behind her, felt a different kind of warmth filling her body completely, her cheeks flushing with sudden heat.

— Heather, these men want to ask you a few questions… — The goddess whispered to her in a gentle, soothing tone, looking directly into her eyes. — Are you alright with that?

Heather didn't answer. She was mesmerized by the goddess eyes, fascinated with the way they shined like the moon in a clear sky, how those eyes seemed to pierce her, seeing straight to her soul, how the contrast of the silver on the white was beautiful and the fascinating way that they curved slightly upwards at the upper corner, giving the goddess an almost faerie look. She blinked, breaking out of her trance and realizing she had just been asked a question. Flushing with embarrassment, she tried to remember what exactly said question was.

— Sure! — She answered as she remembered, stammering a little, her voice going up a pitch. The goddess smiled reassuringly at her and at that moment Heather was sure that she would do anything that the goddess asked, no matter what. Artemis got up and went over to the two men, nodding her permission to Hydran.

— Hurt her and I'll make sure that your death is slow and painful. — She said to him as he walked closer to the girl.

Heather looked at the approaching man, suddenly weary. She picked up her bow and wrapped her fingers around the silver wood nervously.

— Hello, miss Heather. I'm Hydran of Thorns. A pleasure to meet you. — He said, bowing exaggeratedly to her. She glared at him, uneasy.

— How do you know my name? — She asked hesitantly. His smile grew.

— That is not important right now. What is important is that you answer a question that I have for you, my dear. — He said and looked at Artemis for permission. The goddess looked at her, concerned.

— You don't have to answer if you don't want to, Heather. — She said, making Heather's heart flutter in her chest. Lady Artemis was concerned with her well being! That notion by itself was enough to give her the courage she needed. She gulped and nodded to the goddess, who in turn nodded to Hydran. The man smiled and turned back to the huntress.

— So, Heather, please tell me… What happened to Eli Blackwood? — The man's smile had disappeared and his tone had gotten slightly more serious. Heather's face went white, and she took a step back, feeling just like a recently closed wound had reopened. Eli Blackwood was the name of her brother. They had been happy, living with her mother on their apartment until a week ago.

It had been a pretty normal day at school, but everything changed when she came to the door of the apartment. It was open. That was weird. They never left the door open, especially not in the beginning of winter. She cautiously pushed the door open. Her heart froze with shock with what she saw. Her brother was there, bleeding from several wounds to his chest. He was pinned to the wall by what looked like six spider legs ripped from the main body, three on each side of his chest. His head was slumped over his chest, but he slowly lifted it and looked at her as the creaking of the door filled the silent room. She knew that nightmares of that scene would haunt her to the day of her death as he looked at her, absolute terror in his green eyes.

She looked to his side, where the stairs to the corridor that led to the bedrooms and saw… something there. She wasn't sure what it was, it looked like a giant, formless shadow, taking most of the hallway. But she saw the flash of another of those spider leg looking things amidst the darkness and looked back at her dying brother, desperate.

— Run! — He shouted, although she wasn't sure if she had heard that or just read the word on his lips. So she turned around and ran. Amidst the mist of her tears she ran until her legs gave and she fell. From then until meeting the hunters her memory was hazy, but she remembered that she would get up and run again. She didn't know how long it was since she had been running when she finally had stumbled upon Artemis and her huntresses. They offered her shelter, food and comfort and without thinking, she had decided to join them.

She gulped, feeling the tears start to well up again. She and her brother had always been close and thinking about his death again felt like a stab in the heart. She looked up at the blue haired man.

— It… It wasn't my fault! — She whimpered, looking from him to the bald man, whose face was impassive and unreadable. She looked to Artemis who had taken a step forward, worried. — I… I swear, Miss Artemis! I didn't… I… I couldn't! — She cried out in a pleading tone, feeling the tears starting to run. Her throat clenched, the sound of her heartbeats deafening the world around her as her words turning into cut, desperate begging, the pain of the unleashed feelings of guilt and shame for running away, as well as the loss of someone so close to her heart making her unable to form coherent sentences. She couldn't see the world through the mist of tears.

Suddenly she felt a comforting warmth against her. She blinked her tears away, surprised to see Artemis' hair in front of her. Then the realization hit. The goddess was hugging her! And then her heartbeat wasn't as deafening and she could hear the goddess whispering comforting words in her ear. The girl closed her eyes and buried her face in Artemis' shoulder, hugging the older woman tightly as she felt the goddess' hands rubbing her back, her heartbeat reverberating through her entire body. She didn't know how long they had been like this, but she hoped it would last forever.

But it didn't take long for her to calm down and she couldn't help but feel slightly disappointed when she felt the goddess let go and back away. Artemis smiled reassuringly at her and she tried to smile back, with questionable success. Hydran cleared his throat and both women looked at him. Artemis glared with open hostility while Heather's gaze was more nervous. She felt the hand of the goddess on her shoulder, holding her protectively.

— It was never my intention to imply that you had anything to do with it, miss Heather. — He said, apologetically. — I just wish to know what happened to him, is all. But I see that the memory is painful, so I think it is for the best that we leave you alone, miss Heather. — He finished with a deep bow. The bald man still looked unfazed, his harsh glare not disappearing for a second, but didn't disagree. Artemis let go of her shoulder.

— I'll escort you two out. — She said, getting up. The men nodded. The three of them started to walk away and Heather sighed in relief. Then she felt something slender and flexible like a vine wrapping around her waist from behind. She screamed in surprise, gripping her bow tightly and turning around to hit what had grabbed her. She stopped in her tracks, her face freezing in horror.

She was face to face with a mannequin. Its face had painted eyes and a smiling mouth, making it look like it was wearing a painted comedy mask. There was something very disturbing about the way that thing tilted its head to the side, as if curiously examining her. Several black tentacles were sprouting out of its back, one of them had wrapped itself around her waist and now was pulling her even closer to the mannequin. She pressed her hands against its chest and pushed, trying to break free, to no avail. That creature had an unholy strength and didn't even seem fazed by her efforts, not even when she drove the end of her bow against its face several times. She then tried attacking the tentacle holding her, but again the mannequin didn't seem to feel it at all.

There was a flash of silver at the side of her vision and she gasped as she saw a silver arrow embed itself deep into the head of the thing. She looked behind her and saw Lady Artemis in one knee with bow in hand, drawing another arrow from the quiver at her back. At her side were the two men. The bald one had a silver chain wrapped on one hand and with the other was carrying a sledgehammer, running in her direction. Hydran was unarmed, but also running to her. Behind the goddess, she saw the other huntresses approaching and kneeling, readying to take shots. Artemis shouted for them to wait, the chance of hitting her were too big for them to fire securely.

She heard an awful, inhuman cracking sound as the mannequin's mouth split open. It seemed like it was ripped open by a cutting knife, looking more like the mouth of a Jack-O'-Lantern. Both men that were running in their direction paled at this. The mannequin lifted its head, looking at the sky. She saw the blue haired man cover his ears and throw himself to the ground as the bald one seemed to brace himself. She wondered why they did that for a second. On the next, she lost consciousness.

An extremely loud, eardrum-piercing shriek filled the air. It was more of a feeling than a sound. It felt like a jackhammer trying to split your head open and almost succeeding. But not quite. It filled the mind with pain, leaving everyone that heard it unable to process sound or image or to even move, leaving them deaf, blind and immobile. Artemis winced, gritting her teeth at the unearthly sound. She looked around and saw all of her huntresses on the ground, groaning in pain. Hydran was getting up and the bald man was shaking his head, slapping his own ears. The mannequin turned around and started to run away from them. She couldn't put her finger on exactly why, but there was something profoundly disturbing on the way it moved. It seemed… unnatural. Alien, somehow. But the sheer speed of its movements was the most unsettling of all. In seconds it was yards away, leaving the forest they were in. She knew where it was heading too, a larger and denser forest a few hundred yards away from them. She wasn't sure even she would be able to track it down if it got there.

— Fucking banshees! It's fleeing! After it, Theo! — Hydran shouted, starting to run after the mannequin. The bald man followed close, the heavy armor he wore not seeming to interfere in anyway with his speed.

Artemis looked past them, at the mannequin, the arrow still embedded deep on its head, carrying an unconscious Heather away, to the edge of the forest a few dozen yards away. She took a heavy breath and drew another arrow. She glared at her target and got on one knee. She lined up the shot, her hands moving to track its movements with practiced ease, the calculations for distance, speed, weight, resistance of the air, wind speed and so many other factors that influenced in the shot done in a matter of seconds by her brain. She let go of the arrow as she felt the tip of the feather touch her shoulder.

There was a satisfying crack as the arrow left the bow and started flying. She had put five more in the air before the first was in the middle of its flight. Less than a second later it met its target: the tentacle holding Heather. A split moment later the other arrows met the other tentacles, severing them completely. It was clear to her that the mannequin wouldn't be detained by anything apart from complete destruction of limbs, and it would take a while even for her to be able to do that. Besides, her focus right now was to save Heather. She saw the girl fall with a piece of the tentacle still wrapped around her waist, looked back at her huntresses, still recovering from the wail, and started running towards the unconscious girl, easily outrunning the two men, who seemed to be almost out of breath. The mannequin turned its head around one hundred and eighty degrees, looking straight at her, then at Heather, before its head twisted back to its original place. The goddess winced at just how unnatural that movement was, but didn't slow down her legs.

Thalia Grace was in pain. That wasn't new to her, she had been hurt before, both physically and emotionally. But this kind of mind numbing, thought splitting pain was something she hadn't experience before and really wish she wouldn't have to again. She blinked, trying to push away the bright flashes that obstructed her vision. Her ears were still hurting, the echoes of that unholy scream deafening the world around her. Suddenly she felt more than saw or heard movement at her side. She didn't know how, but she knew it was Lady Artemis getting up. She felt her Lady start running forwards, towards the horrible thing.

She gritted her teeth and closed her eyes, forcing herself to get to her feet. She almost fell, but shook her head and stood on her feet. She was the lieutenant of Lady Artemis and wasn't about to disappoint her! So she started walking. She didn't really know where she was going, but she could feel the direction that the goddess had followed and so, shambled in her tracks with some difficulty.

— It's gaining on us! — Hydran shouted to Theo in between heavy breaths. — Can't you bind it with your silver chain? — He asked, frustrated. Theo shook his head.

— Can't while moving. Too far away to stop. — Theo answered laconically.

— Shit! Alright, time for plan B! — He shouted, picking up a small bag from his pocket. They were almost to the unconscious girl now. The goddess of the Hunt was already there, gently holding Heather. The goddess looked up as she heard them approaching and was surprised to see Thalia right behind them. The huntress had already mostly recovered, although her movements were still a little stiff. Even so, she had been able to outrun the two men with relative ease.

Thalia got to her at the same time the two men did. She stopped by her as the two continued running after the mannequin. Lady Artemis looked at her and smiled.

— Thalia, I need you to take Heather back to the medical tent with the other huntresses. Double the patrols and reinforce the perimeters. — She ordered, getting up and handing Heather to her lieutenant.

Thalia nodded.

— Yes, ma'am! And what about you? — She asked, her strong hands lifting the unconscious body with ease. Lady Artemis turned to the direction the two men were running, seeing the mannequin in the distance.

— I'm going to bring down that thing. Whatever it is. — The goddess answered, starting to run towards it while Thalia turned around.

— Hey, my lady, can you shoot down a small bag like this in mid flight far away? — Hydran asked, seeing the goddess approaching from behind. She scoffed.

— Can you walk on two legs, mortal? — She answered him and he smiled.

— I need your strong arm, Theo! — Hydran said. He thought for a few seconds and threw the bag forward and to his right, in the direction of Theo. The bald man started counting.

 _One._

 _Two._

 _Three._

His left foot hit the ground and the bag was right in front of him. He picked it up with his right hand.

 _Four._

The tip of his right foot hit the ground. Before his heel touched the soil, he spun, turning the entire movement into a spin in a flowing motion. Mid spin he saw the goddess get on one knee and ready her bow, drawing an arrow.

 _Five._

He extended his arm and let go. The bag flew far away, propelled by the momentum he had built up. Artemis held her breath, taking aim. There was a reassuring snap as the arrow left the bow.

The arrow flew, meeting the bag just as it was starting to come down. The goddess watched expectantly.

Nothing happened. The bag fell inoffensively a few yards in front of the mannequin, who seemed to follow its movements. Again the thing turned its head one hundred and eighty degrees. Its expression didn't change, but Artemis was sure that it was laughing, if it was even capable of that. Both men came to a halt. She stopped as well, looking questioningly at Hydran.

The blue haired man smirked.

— Laugh while you can, you son of a bitch. — He said, crossing his arms over his chest, slightly bending over and closing her eyes. He started counting.

 _One._

The thing drew closer to where the bag had fallen. Slowing down as it saw that its pursuers had stopped.

 _Two._

Closer still, but not quite. Now it was moving almost humanly slow.

 _Three._

It was a hundred yards from the trees, but barely a foot away from where the bag had fallen.

— Got you, asshole! — Hydran cried out, opening his eyes and spreading his arms out. — Bloom, my garden!

Artemis saw something at least unexpected happen. Below the mannequin, she saw several vines burst from the ground, quickly forming bushes around the thing and spreading in all directions, until the creature was in a field of thorny bushes that extended one hundred yards in all directions, trapping the being in its midst and coming to a sudden halt a few feet away from them. Then white roses started to sprout all over the vines, completely covering the thorns. The air was filled by their sweet, delicate scent. The white roses were all closed.

The mannequin looked around, seeing that it was suddenly in the midst of a sea of flowers. It tilted its head to the side before shrugging and restarting to run in the direction of the forest, mere one hundred yards away from it. There was a loud crack and the mannequin looked down, surprised. The crack came from its own porcelain skin. Vines had wrapped around its ankles and its thorns had pierced the porcelain, going inside it. The mannequin tried to keep moving, but now its movement was impaired by the persistent thorn bushes and it had to stomp and kick to make way, its run slowed to the pace of a stroll.

Theo looked over to Hydran, who had his left hand closed in a fist in front of his body, seemingly very satisfied with himself. He backed away a few feet from the rose patch, noticing that Lady Artemis, too, had backed away from it. He nodded to himself, approvingly. That lady was smart.

Hydran smiled, seeing the mannequin trying to stomp its way out of the rose patch. He looked at the roses, seeing that they had somehow gained a slightly rose coloration and were now a light pink. As he watched, the roses took a light orange coloration.

He lifted his closed left hand and tightened his fingers, as if crushing something between them and his palm. Several vines lifted up from the bed of roses and wrapped around the thing's arms, loud cracks echoing around as the thorns broke the porcelain, fixating the grip of the vines on the trapped being. It was struggling against them, but its movements were growing slow and sluggish, almost lazy. The roses were now a bright pink. They were all still closed.

Hydran lifted his right hand and several vines followed his movements, their green brighter and livelier than before. He closed his hand, as if strangling something and with a loud snap the lifted vines wrapped themselves around the mannequin's neck, the porcelain again being broken by the thorns. Hydran grinned and crossed his arms over his chest, bringing them closer to him until they touched his chest.

The vines around the being trapped started to pull it down. It struggled, but it was getting weaker and slower. Soon it was dragged down and disappeared beneath the now crimson but still closed roses.

Hydran kept his arms close to his chest, his hands balled into fists.

The now blood red roses bloomed all at the same time, filling the air with their sweet scent. Hydran smiled, opening his arms.

— And down it goes. It's safe now, they've had their fill. — He said, turning to look at Theo.

The bald man looked at Hydran, then at the roses, then back at the blue haired man. He didn't seem happy.

— I know you far too well to believe you. Not a fucking chance in hell I come less than a flamethrower's breath away from those things. — He said, glaring at Hydran, who laughed.

— Fair enough! I'll go, then. — Hydran said, walking over to the rose field. The flowers moved as if swept by a breeze, but there was no wind blowing there at the moment. He smiled as he approached and the roses parted way for him in a seemingly natural movement. Soon he was back with the body of the mannequin in his arms. He let it down in front of Theo.

— So this is what happened to Eli Blackwood. — Theo said, bowing his head a little.

— At least now he is at peace. — Hydran replied, also bowing his head. They stood in silence with their eyes closed for a few moments. — Will you burn the body now, Theo? — He asked after the moment of silence was gone, his face betraying no emotion. Theo nodded, his face not showing any emotion either. They looked at Artemis, to see if she would oppose. The goddess shrugged and Theo nodded.

Theo picked the body of Eli Blackwood up and walked away.

— I think it would be for the best if miss Heather doesn't find out what happened to her brother. I'm not sure she would take these facts well, ma'am… — Hydran started, turning to face Artemis. He was interrupted by her aiming an arrow right between his eyes at point blank range.

— You have a lot of explaining to do, Demon Rose. — She said.

The Demon Rose, Hydran of Thorns, was taken aback by that. He didn't realize that she knew of him. He sighed. That could be potentially problematic.

* * *

 **A. N. :** **I apologize for the distinct lack of Percy on this chapter, but I promise that he will be along soon. I hope you enjoyed the chapter. Please do comment.**


	2. Aria of the Beginning - Clear Sky

**Disclaimer: This is a work of fiction. May the Heavens ensure that any similarity of events here portrayed with reality be mere coincidence.**

* * *

Hydran sighed.

— It seems that I do. What do you want to know, ma'am? — He asked, not seeming bothered by having an arrow pointed straight at his forehead. Artemis squinted. The goddess did not expect this reaction.

— What in Hades is going on? — She asked after a few seconds of deliberation.

— I believe that is something that only Lord Hades himself knows, ma'am. — The Demon Rose answered with a calm smile. — But about the situation at hand, I believe you've stumbled upon something entirely out of your jurisdiction. — He added, seeing the murderous look she gave him.

— What do you mean by that?

— Do you really want to know? — Hydran said, his face completely serious.

— Of course I do! I don't know what that thing was, but I know that it was after one of my huntresses. I cannot let that be. — She said, her tone as final as arsenic. Hydran nodded.

— Then I shall tell you. That girl that was attacked, have you felt anything strange about her?

Artemis thought for several seconds, remembering the days since when she met Heather. It wasn't unusual for new hunters to come into her camp in a haze like the girl did and in the following week she had behaved pretty normally. She was a bit clumsy, but tried her best to improve. The goddess shook her head.

— I imagined. There is nothing of overwhelmingly special about the girl herself, you see… It's the medallion she wears. — Hydran explained, gesturing towards his neck. Artemis knew of the necklace, it wasn't as if the girl hid it, but she never thought it was anything special, just an odd stylistic choice. She waited for him to continue.

The Demon Rose sighed and looked around, scratching the back of his neck, uncomfortable.

— You see… That medallion… It's not just a piece of jewelry… — He said hesitantly. The goddess squinted at him, her piercing silver eyes staring so intensely at him that he was pretty sure he would burst into flames at any moment now.

— I've gathered that much. — She said, not looking amused. Hydran sighed again.

— The necklace is… sort of a seal for The Yellow King. — He said, uneasy, his tone dropping with every word until he was whispering.

— The what now? — The goddess asked, her arms relaxing just a little, making the arrow drop a couple inches. Now instead of aimed at his forehead, it was merely pointed at his neck.

— Sorry, ma'am, but I cannot give more details about it. — He said, looking very uncomfortable. — You should ask the other Olympians. They might know. — He added after a few seconds of hesitation. — I wouldn't recommend, though. Not the sort of business anyone would want to get involved with. — He finished, shaking his head. Artemis relaxed just a little more. The arrow didn't move, but her eyes weren't as piercing as a few seconds ago.

— Whatever this "Yellow King" of yours is, it put one of my hunters in danger. I'm already involved with it. — She said, her tone daring him to disagree. Hydran knew better, however, and just shrugged.

— As you wish, ma'am. — He looked over his shoulder as Artemis lowered her bow. — I probably should go check with Theo. — He said. The goddess nodded. Hydran smiled brightly. — Well, it was a pleasure seeing you again, Lady Artemis. Farewell! — He finished, waving at her as he left. She glared at him as he walked away before turning around and going back to the Huntresses' camp.

* * *

Heather groaned, opening her eyes. Her entire body hurt, but she felt like her head was being split open, the pain numbing her senses. She could barely see through the mist in her eyes, all forms blurred together. It was hard to even distinguish shapes. She couldn't hear anything either, all the sounds around her slurred and mixed into incomprehensible white noise. Her throat felt dry and raw. She groaned in pain again. Her waist felt like a flaming belt of thorns had been wrapped around it.

She blinked several times and tried to move her fingers. They answered, albeit slowly. She moved her hand to her waist, to try and feel what was wrong with it, but her hand was stopped by something soft. It took a few seconds for her to recognize the feeling of a soft, feminine hand gently grabbing hers, stopping her from moving it.

Slowly the world came into focus. She blinked the mist away and saw the silver colored cloth of the medical cabin's roof and the metal bars supporting it. She tilted her head to the sides, looking around. At her right, gently holding her hand, was another girl. She looked in her late teens and had a long and wavy mane of blonde hair tied in a ponytail. Her eyes were of a deep blue and she was paler than normal. Her large almond eyes, tapered chin and delicate jaw line gave the girl an elfin look. Although older, the girl was shorter than Heather. She was dressed in the usual silver garb of the huntresses.

Heather smiled weakly.

— You really should get one of those nurse outfits, Sophie. — She said, her voice sounding coarse to her own ears. The elfin girl smiled back at her, gently caressing her hand.

— Alright, I will. But just for you. — She said, winking impishly at her. Heather blushed a bright red and tried to reply, but the words jumbled in her mouth and all that came out was a hesitant stutter. Sophie laughed at her reaction.

— Can you get up, Heather? — She asked in a worried tone, the smile disappearing from her face.

— I don't know. — Heather said. She tried to sit on the camp bed and whimpered in pain with the movements, her waist feeling like it was on fire. Sophie looked at her, worried, and helped her back down onto the bed. It wasn't the most comfortable, but it was better than the ground.

— What are you feeling? — The blonde asked.

— I'm thirsty and my waist burns… a lot. — Heather answered, looking straight at the roof of the tent once again. The elfin girl nodded and went away. A few moments later she came back with a cup of water and a small piece of something that looked like chocolate. She adjusted the pillows to straighten Heather up a little and handed both to her, who drank the water gratefully, looking at the chocolate-like tablet.

— This doesn't look like ambrosia. — She said, looking up at the blonde girl.

— It's because it isn't, silly! — She replied, grinning.

— Then what is it? — Heather asked, curious. Sophie shrugged.

— I don't know. But it's from Lady Artemis herself, so you better eat! — She answered. Heather gasped, looking at the tablet again. It was a gift from Lady Artemis herself?!, well, that made things easier. She ate it without a second thought and gasped again, this time a long, drawn out sigh of relief as the burning sensation on her waist immediately subdued, becoming barely an annoying reminder.

— Whoa! I… I didn't expect that… — She said, smiling.

— Do you remember what happened, Heather? — Sophie asked, still slightly worried.

Heather blinked, taking a hand to her head.

— I… I think so? I remember that I was watching miss Artemis and the two men leave and then… Something grabbed me. And I looked around and saw an horrifying face and then… Then I think it screamed? Gods, it was so loud! — She said, closing her eyes as she remembered. — And then I woke up. — She finished, opening her eyes and looking at Sophie expectantly.

Sophie nodded.

— From what I understand, it tried to flee with you, but Lady Artemis saved you. — She explained. Heather felt her face heat up, her cheeks going to a slight red.

— Miss Artemis saved me? — She asked, hesitantly. Sophie nodded, smiling.

— I don't think you have a concussion, but it doesn't hurt to check, right? — The blonde girl said. Heather nodded and answered Sophie's questions with a sheepish smile, her mind focused on the goddess saving her from a horrible monster.

— Sophie… Do you know why my waist is hurting like this? — She asked after the medic determined that she didn't have a concussion. The blonde nodded.

— It had some kind of poison on its tentacles, kind of like a jellyfish. In fact, it's pretty much the same thing as jellyfish poison, so we can't really do anything. But you aren't in danger at all. It's just going to hurt for a while. — She explained. Heather nodded. Sophie was a daughter of Apollo as well as a medic in her own right, so Heather trusted her, especially with anything to do with poisons. — I think it would be better for you to stay here for a few days, at least until the pain fades a little. — The blonde medic finished. Heather nodded again, adjusting her head on the pillow.

— And where is Lady Artemis? — She asked and took another sip from the cup of water, emptying it. Sophie quickly refilled the cup and set it down by the bed again.

— She went to Mount Olympus to talk with the other gods.

— And how long have I been out?

— A day at most. — Heather nodded and fell silent.

— Anything else, Heather? — Sophie asked in a gentle tone.

Heather looked up at her, a little embarrassed.

— Can you keep me company? — She asked, her voice barely a whisper, smiling sheepishly.

Sophie looked at her and grinned.

— Of course I can! You are my best friend! — She said, sitting down in a chair at the side of the bed.

* * *

— You must be wondering why I've called you all here today. — Zeus started the meeting, looking around the throne room. Saying that the place was oppressively opulent would be a severe understatement. On that single room there was enough marble and gold to buy a medium-sized European country. Around the circular room there were thirteen gigantic thrones and, sitting on them, the thirteen Olympians.

— Not really, I just want the meeting to be done already. — Dionysius said in a bored tone, slumped in throne of vines, his head laying on one of his hands. Zeus sighed heavily.

— Can we, please, just once, keep the bickering, sarcasm and witty replies to a minimum? — Zeus asked, looking sternly through the room. Most gods avoided his gaze, falling silent or muttering something inaudible. He sighed again. — Good enough. Now, if there aren't anymore interruptions… — Again he looked through the room, his fierce gaze daring someone to speak. No one did. — I would like to explain the reason of this meeting. — He looked at Artemis. — Lady Artemis, if you please. — He finished, waving for her to take her turn speaking. This got the attention of the other gods. Most of the time it was Apollo, Poseidon, Zeus, Hades or Hera who introduced the subject of the meeting. This change of protocol felt slightly foreboding.

— Yesterday one of my hunters was attacked. — She started. Dionysius opened his mouth to retort something witty, but both the huntress and Zeus glared at him at the same time and he fell silent. — Now, being attacked is a common occurrence for us. But this was different. The attacker itself was unlike anything I've ever seen. It was a dead man whose flesh was turned into ceramic. When we killed him again, he returned to normal. — She continued, seeing that no one else would try to interrupt.

All the gods except for her looked at Hades questioningly. He raised his hands, shrugging.

— I can guarantee you that none of my servants has that ability. As a matter of fact, neither do I. — He said, his voice emotionless as usual. Artemis nodded.

— My newest recruit has a necklace. — She said, glaring at Dionysius as she did. He smiled and made a gesture of zipping his lips, she frowned at him disapprovingly before continuing. — I've learned from an… — She hesitated for a few seconds, looking away, uncomfortable, attracting the curiosity of the other Olympians. — Outside source that the necklace is some kind of seal for something called The Yellow King. — She finished, looking around the room. Most of the gods expressions hadn't changed from boredom, curiosity or slight interest, but she was pretty sure that Hades' skin had gone even paler, which was an impressive feat by itself. Poseidon and Zeus also seemed to wince, suddenly uncomfortable.

She wasn't the only one to notice it, however. All Olympians did and a sudden sense of uneasiness crept into the hall. Few things could make Zeus, Poseidon and Hades uneasy at the same time and they tended to be very bad.

— You know something about that, Lord Zeus? — Artemis asked, her piercing gaze focusing on him. He gulped, not being able to meet her eyes.

— I… might know a thing or two about this King. — He said hesitantly, avoiding the eyes of the rest of the gods. That drew their attention even more and they started talking between themselves.

— Care to explain to us what it is, then, father? — Athena asked, her voice echoing in the sepulchral silence that fell after her words.

— He… It is an ancient evil. Older than Gaea herself. — The god explained. A chill went through all of the gods and goddesses.

— Then how haven't we ever head of it? — Athena asked after clearing her throat.

— Long ago it was… taken care of by a mortal. — He said. The Olympians took a collective breath of relief. The only ones that didn't seem reassured by his words were Hades, Poseidon and himself. Athena noticed this.

— What is wrong, father? If a mortal was able to defeat it, surely it can't be that bad? — She asked with a smile. The gods could be very theatrical when they wanted, especially her father. She couldn't believe she had worried about something like that! The look that Zeus gave her, however, made her smile waver and almost disappear.

— This… thing is one of a race of ancient beings older and more powerful than the primordials. — He said. Athena shook her head.

— That can't be. — She said in a confident tone. — If a mortal handled it, it can't be that powerful. — She finished and the Olympians muttered their approval with the exception of Zeus, Hades and Poseidon.

— This is not the point of the meeting. — Zeus said, obviously eager to change the subject. — The reason I called you all here is because we need to find a bodyguard for the huntress, the Hunt and Artemis herself. — He said, his voice regaining its thunderous potency as he spoke. The sudden change of subject and return to his normal tone took the council by surprise and they stood there for a second, completely shocked. Zeus smiled. — I was thinking of suggesting Perseus Jackson. — He finished, leaving the Olympians completely flabbergasted.

The silence that extended for the next several dozen seconds could almost be felt physically.

— It pains me to ask this of you, Brother Zeus, it really does… — Hades was the one to finally break the silence after almost three minutes of shock, his voice as calm as always. The entire council inched forward on their thrones to listen to his words, curiosity spreading like a fire in a barn. — But are you out of your mind?! — The sudden roughness of his tone and the implied insult made the Olympians gasp. Zeus blinked, genuinely confused.

— Why do you ask, Hades? — He didn't care for Hades' tone but didn't mind it either. He had known his brother for long enough to know that if the Lord of the Underworld spoke up, he probably should at least pay attention nto his words.

— Because this is the most absurd idea I've heard in a long time! — Hades exclaimed, absolutely outraged. Now that the shock had passed, the gods had started to talk among themselves again. — Just take a look around, for Olympus' sake! — He continued, making a gesture encompassing the throne room. — Especially at Aphrodite, look at her! — At that, all the gods with the exception of Artemis turned to face Aphrodite. She tried to keep a straight face, but had a hand covering her mouth and her entire body was shaking as she tried to stop a giggling fit, thinking of the possibilities. — Do you really think this is a good idea?! — Hades asked, glaring at Zeus.

— Well… When you put it that way… It really does sound like a bad plan. — Zeus conceded, stroking his beard. — But doesn't Jackson have a girlfriend and is completely faithful? — He asked, looking at Athena, who shrugged. Hades stopped to consider that.

Apollo looked at his sister, a little worried. She hadn't said anything yet. That seemed wrong. She didn't seem interested at all in the discussion the three gods were having. In fact, her attention appeared to be somewhere far away. He sighed and closed his eyes, calling directly to her mind with his, starting a private conversation just between the two of them.

— Olympian control to Major Temis, Olympian control to Major Temis. Take your protein pills and put your helmet on! — She looked at him, surprised. He smiled and waved.

— What is it, Apollo? — She asked, slightly impatient.

— You know that they are discussing putting a guy as a bodyguard of the Hunt, right? You know, "a guy", those pesky things you kind of hate? And they are implying that you need a bodyguard and stuff. — He said, confused by her attitude.

— So? — She asked with a shrug. Apollo's mouth fell open and he stood there in shock for a few seconds.

— What do you mean, "so"? Aren't you going to say something?! — Apollo was outraged by his sister's indifference. She shrugged again.

— What is the point? You know how father is when he gets an idea. No matter what I say he will find a way to get his way. And you know that the council rarely gets anything done anyway. And even if they do agree on giving me a… "bodyguard" — She said, with clear contempt for the word. — I will just turn them into an animal. Or target practice. It's not worth it to waste my breath on this. — She finished.

— You'd really do that to poor Percy? — Apollo asked, more surprised by her words than by her indifference now. It was Artemis' turn to be surprised.

— They want to put Perseus in the Hunt?

— Gee, welcome to five minutes ago, sis! — Apollo said, amused. Artemis sighed, shaking her head.

— Sorry. I zoned out pretty hard… — She said, slightly embarrassed.

— I noticed. What were you thinking about, anyway?

He was surprised and even more amused when he saw Artemis blush.

— Nothing! — She said and his smile widened.

— Really? I'm pretty sure that father won't be pleased if he hears you calling Thalia "nothing"! — He said with a triumphant grin. Artemis gasped in surprise.

— What?! How do you…? — She was so shocked that she couldn't finish the sentence.

— Perks of having a mental connection, sis! — He answered. — Huntresses have to oath away love, huh? — He teased and she blushed even more.

— It's not like that! I just like her, that's all! — She said, her tone desperate. Then she realized what she said and groaned while Apollo laughed.

— I noticed! — He said, winking at her. She groaned again.

— You are awful, Apollo! — She said, but there was a small smile on her lips.

— Thank you, sis, I try! — He grinned, doing an exaggerate bow.

— Father. Uncle. Wouldn't it be better to let Artemis herself decide what is best for her Huntresses and for her? — The twins were pulled out of their conversation by the voice of Athena. They looked around, but it didn't seem like anyone noticed that they were having their particular talk.

— What is the point? She is just going to say that she doesn't need any protection, like always! — Ares said, exasperated. Artemis squinted at him.

— I don't need any protection, Ares. — She said, her voice cold as glaciers, her tone just daring him to say anything against that.

— If it was any other case, I would agree with you, my daughter. — Zeus interrupted before Ares could retort. This made a shiver go down Artemis' spine, getting her attention. Zeus very rarely put formality aside, especially on meetings. — But not this time. You and your huntresses need someone else to deal with this. A mortal would be better, but a demigod will have to do.

Artemis looked like she wanted to reply, but Hades interrupted her before she could.

— We could call upon the Ashen Heart. Or resort to the Church. — He said, stroking his chin. Zeus looked at Artemis, hopeful. She shrugged.

— I'm almost out of training targets. Some more would be welcome. — She said, simply.

Zeus sighed, shaking his head.

— Why is a bodyguard this important, Father? — Athena asked, confused. Zeus hesitated to answer. He looked at Poseidon and Hades who looked at each other and nodded before nodding to Zeus. The god sighed heavily.

— Only an example will convey why. So be it. — He said, his grim expression silencing the council. — You all remember that time in the twenties when I, Hades and Poseidon went on a… assignment? — The Olympians muttered an agreement. — We were facing a servant of the race of the King. — He fell silent. A feeling of unease swept through the council.

— And you three kicked its ass in a couple of minutes, right? — Ares asked, breaking the silence with a confident smile. The smile quickly disappeared when he saw the grim expressions on the faces of the three gods. They looked down. The silence seemed to extend forever.

— We were defeated. Barely made it out of there with our bodies. — Poseidon finally broke the silence in a hushed tone. The silence that followed those words could be cut with a knife.

— And then a mortal took it down by himself. — Hades added. — The mortals have a way of dealing with them that we have no access to or understanding of. Maybe Hecate knows better, but she doesn't talk about this with anyone.

— And that, my daughter, is why I will not accept no for an answer on this. Any objections? — Zeus asked, looking around the room. The absolute silence was his answer. He nodded to himself. — Then it is decided. Perseus Jackson will be the sole male integrant of the Hunt, with the objective of protecting Heather Blackwood's life with his own if necessary. He will not be bound by the Oath, but will be a servant of Artemis like the Huntresses, with no special benefits. — He said, his tone as grave and solemn as the mountain in which they stood. — I hope that despite your contempt for men you treat him fairly, Lady Artemis. — He finished.

An uneasy silence extended over the throne room.

— Apollo, where is Perseus? — Zeus broke the silence, looking at the sun god. Apollo closed his eyes and concentrated.

— At the moment? He is in a secluded beach in Long Island, getting beaten to a pulp by a guy with powers that I never saw before. — Apollo said, his eyes shining like the sun as he used his clairvoyance.

* * *

 **A. N. : Again I would like to apologize for the disctint lack of Percy on this chapter, but I promise that he appears on the next one. He would appear on this, but I figured it was too large already, so I might as well leave for the next. Besides, this was a nice cliffhanger moment. I hope you've enjoyed**


	3. Bolero of Shadows — Clear Sky

**A. N. : First off, I would like to apologize for a few things. First: Sorry for the shorter chapter today! I try to keep them to a medium-longish size, but some are better left a bit shorter!** **Second: Apologies for anyone offended by Wayang's accent. I don't even know where I was going with it but oh well :P T** **hird: Sorry for the long wait between chapters! Life has been quite hectic here! And finally, fourth: Sorry for being so bad at characterizing Percy, I suck at (voluntary) humor so I mostly don't even try!**

 **Now for a warning! This chapter doesn't contain any explicitly sexual content, but it does contain a few graphic descriptions... I kinda got carried away, sorry #_#**

 **Disclaimer: This is a work of fiction. Let us all hope that it stays like this.**

* * *

It hadn't been an easy week, Percy thought to himself as he walked down the empty beach. That beach in particular didn't see much activity, especially now in the start of winter. Just like him, he thought to himself, a hint of bitterness creeping into his thoughts. He shook his head to get rid of it.

His life was decent enough. He had found a job in a nearby town as a fisherman. He had his own house now, although it wasn't a mansion, it was pretty nice and cozy. He smiled, remembering of when his mother had visited and helped to decorate it. His expression turned sour and he sighed heavily as he thought of Annabeth.

First they thought that their love was eternal. But then they started to grow apart. Still, they tried to make it work, but their romance didn't last long. He knew the reason, of course. It was Luke. It always had been Luke. It would always be Luke. Annabeth liked him, they remained friends even after the break up, after all, but she liked him much more as a friend. She had tried to love him, she had convinced herself that she could, but some feelings never go away. He understood that all too well.

He thought about camp and the reasons he left. Annabeth was the main one. They were still friends, of course, full of polite smiles and kisses on the cheek and awkward pauses in conversations, but some things are easier said than done and that particular feeling was very hard to get over. He felt the wind pick up, the cold breeze blowing his messy black hair around his face. Looking over the empty beach, he was again reminded of camp and started thinking about the other reason he had left.

Camp was pretty empty, right now. A lot of people had died in the two wars and the months following the showdown with Gaea. Most of them were good people. When it was summer, it almost felt normal, with the influx of new people and the younger campers appearing, but it was winter now and the camp felt lonely and melancholic. After the wars, the number of monster attacks had diminished a lot, causing a lot of the regular campers to move back home or on with their lives, leaving the camp even more empty. After he and Annabeth broke up, that loneliness was too much for him and Percy decided to move out to a new city, a fresh start.

And so he had found this job as the assistant of a fisherman. It wasn't much, but it kept him fed and able to pay his taxes. He sighed again. He liked the work, it helped to keep his mind busy, but now he was on vacation and his thoughts raced. He hugged himself in his dark blue jacket, feeling the ruthless wind take the warmth from him as it blew.

Suddenly his senses, sharpened by years of constant struggle for survival, picked up a noise. Footsteps on the sand. Careless, probably just someone strolling by. Still, he lifted his head and looked around, searching for the source of the sound. He didn't survive two wars to die by being careless.

He saw a man walking towards him. He had messy black hair, just like Percy's own and wore tight blue jeans and a leather jacket with a fur collar. He was pale and the bags under his eyes helped to give him an unkempt and weary look. Percy frowned.

— Nico? — He called out, raising a hand. The other man smirked and raised his hand back, but shook his head negatively.

— 'fraid not, halfblood. — He said, closing his hand into a fist and shoving his arms forward.

As the man moved his arms, Percy felt strange. It felt like something had gripped his skeleton and forced it backwards, pushing against his own skin. He let out a pained gasp as his entire body was propelled backwards by some unseen force, leaving a stinging sensation from the back of his head to his heels. A second later he felt another sharp burst of pain as his back hit the sand and the air left his lungs forcefully. He groaned in the ground, moving a hand over his eyes. He couldn't help but ask himself what the hell had just happened?

Before he could elaborate on that thought, however, his instincts kicked in and he rolled backwards, getting on his feet. He looked at the stranger who was still smiling.

— Well, well. Didn't expect you to get back on your feet so quickly, Perseus Jackson. — The man said, putting a hand on his pocket, his posture completely relaxed as if Percy didn't pose any threat whatsoever. The demigod frowned at the man.

— Who are you? What in Hades did you just do? Why are you attacking me? — He asked the questions in quick succession, catching his breath.

— You can call me Wayang. As for why I'm attacking you, well... — The man shrugged, smiling at him almost apologetically. Percy slid his hand to his back pocket and felt the comforting weight of his pen. In a swift movement he had taken the cap off and Anaklusmos grew in his hand. Wayang raised his brows, whistling in appreciation and spread his arms open.

— Nice blade. Bet ya don't know how to use it, though. — He said. Percy didn't really want to hurt the man, especially since he didn't seem to be making any more aggressive moves, but again that weird sensation covered his body. This time he felt himself being pulled forward, both his hands going to the hilt of the sword as he positioned it in front of his chest. He felt his feet moving forward, but his movement was awkward and unbalanced, as if some unseen string had connected directly to his bones and was moving them directly, ignoring muscles and articulations, making every movement stiff and unnatural. The soreness and pain spread through his legs as he took forced steps, each second drawing closer to the still smiling man.

Percy's eyes widened as he realized what was about to happen. He shut his eyes and gritted his teeth, trying to regain control of his own bones. Suddenly he felt light headed, a dizziness spreading through his brain as he felt himself come to an abrupt stop. He opened his eyes and blinked, feeling cold sweat starting to run down his body. The world around him spun out of control and he bent over, a hand on his temple as he threw up on the sand.

Moments later he felt the world come back into focus and opened his eyes again. He was staring at his own vomit on the ground. His entire body hurt as if something had been forcing against his skin from the inside. He felt dizzy and sick, not throwing up again immediately by sheer force of will. The stench of vomit filled his nostrils and he backed away. It was then that he realized that he had regained control of his own body.

He looked up and saw that Wayang was still in the same place, but his arms were not spread anymore. Instead he had a hand stroking his chin, the other back in his pocket. Percy breathed in relief as he saw that the man seemed to be unharmed. He had regained control just in time. He was looking at Percy and seemed to be impressed.

— Gonna be honest with ya, didn't expect you to be able to resist my shadow puppetry so easily. Seems like I've underestimated ya big time. — He said nonchalantly.

— You… You made my body move by itself? How? Why? I could've killed you! — Percy said, confused and exasperated, looking at Wayang with weary eyes. It was clear that the unkempt man was much more than met the eye. Was he a monster? Another demigod? But then again, his "shadow puppetry" or whatever was unlike anything Percy had ever seen.

The man just smiled, shaking his head.

— Thought ya knew better than that. It's your own blade, after all. Don't ya remember that celestial bronze can't cut mortals? — He asked and Percy blinked in realization. It was true. He was so used to fighting monsters and demigods that he had forgotten that celestial bronze was harmless to mortals. But wait, did that mean that this guy was a mortal? But then what in Hades was that power that he wielded? Percy shook his head. One thing was clear, though: this man wasn't fooling around. He had to step up his game. Luckily for Percy, they were on a beach.

— What ya looking at with that stupid face? — The man asked, frowning at Percy as the demigod looked at him triumphantly, more curious than angry. Percy just shrugged.

— Just thinking that you are pretty dumb. — The demigod answered, a small smile appearing on his lips. Wayang was caught off guard by this reply and his frown deepened.

— Why'd ya think that? — He asked, making Percy's smile widen.

— Well, you looked like you knew a little about me. If you were even a little bit smart you would've realized that this isn't the best choice of place to attack me. Just look around you, dude. — The demigod said, straightening up and raising his arms, calling the sea to come in a sudden surge and hit the other man with the strength of a stampede.

Only when Wayang laughed, a couple of moments later, that Percy realized that there was something wrong. He looked over his shoulder, back at the sea. The wind was making some waves, but otherwise it was pretty calm. The demigod looked at his own hands, frowning.

— Something wrong? — Wayang asked, the smug smirk on his lips betraying his polite tone. Percy blinked and looked at the other man, more than a little confused.

— Seems like the god signal here ain't very strong, eh? — The man asked Percy before the demigod could think of a reply. — That's why I use satellite coverage. — He finished, again closing a hand into a fist, this time moving his hand straight up, above his head. Percy again felt that weird pain as his skeleton seemed to force his body up and backwards, throwing him several feet in the sky, towards the deep, open sea. This time he felt the coppery taste of blood as some of his own rushed to his mouth and nose, spilling through the air. As he felt the searing pain spreading through his body and the wind harshly whipping his skin from the outside, he opened his eyes just enough to see the waves approaching. At the same time he felt a burst of pain and a deafening noise as his head hit the surface of the water and his body was dragged beneath the waves.

— And that, as they say, is that — Said Wayang, sighing and lowering his arm. He knew that the demigod could still breathe underwater, sadly that gift was too personal to be overpowered by his Will, unlike Percy's control of water, enhanced healing and resistance to damage inside of it. But, still, he probably had died in the fall. He thought about making sure, but the truth was that he couldn't be bothered. His body had fallen way deeper in the sea than the shadow puppeteer was willing to go. Besides, it didn't matter if the demigod had died or not, he couldn't stop Wayang's plans. Still, he couldn't help but feel bothered by Percy's disappearance in the sea, he liked to confirm the kill.

The mortal shook his head and rubbed his own shoulder to alleviate a little tension, but stopped as he felt something wet on his shirt. He frowned as he saw that a little of the demigod's blood had fallen over him, the crimson liquid painting a little of his pale cheek and his jacket's shoulder. Deciding that a bath would be a good way to get rid of those worries., he started getting undressed. First he unzipped his jacket, folding it neatly on a tall rock. Then he took off his hiking boots and socks, placing them at the side of the same rock.

He undid his belt, letting it fall to the sand as he pulled his shirt off, throwing it haphazardly over the belt. His jeans and boxers came off mere seconds later and he placed them together with his jacket.

The cold, harsh wind didn't seem to bother the man at all as he walked to the ocean. Neither did the almost freezing water or the fact that he had just probably killed a demigod. In fact, feeling the cold wind dress his nude body and the sea water bathe his legs, he shivered in pleasure, throwing his head back and sighing.

Minutes later he was stepping out of the sea, completely clean, his manhood swinging between his legs as he walked to the rock on which most of his clothes rested. He put on his jeans, not bothering with boxers this time, the jacket and the boots, leaving the leather garment open to feel the wind caress his chiseled chest. He walked away from the beach with a satisfied smile just as he felt the ripples of energy of the gods of Olympus approaching.


End file.
